Love is Beautiful, Almost as Much as Revenge
by Fallingfrost
Summary: LGBTQQ Pride month story. Dovemoon has been hurt by her clan, and she seeks for revenge. Mossdusk has had her entire family slaughtered by Slateclan, and been taken prisoner. Mentions of Adult themes, gore, homophobia. No flames. You have been warned
1. Chapter 1

_Moss could hardly hear the comforting words her mother murmured into her ears, the screeching was too loud that it pierced the nest under the holly bush her family made their nest under. A golden tabby she-cat blinked her only good eye at her sister before covering her tabby ears with small dainty paws. "Are these the same cats who blinded you?" A grey tabby tom hissed to her sister._

 _Moth nodded anxiously, her one golden eye glistening with fear. Their mother covered the small kits with her bushy tail before hushing them all with a soft hiss. "Mom?" Moss asked, buring her nose in her mother's faded calico fur. "Are we going to die?"_

 _Patches shook her head as she placed a lick on her kits head. They had lived at the edge of the clan's territory since the kits had been born early last winter, but prey had been harder to find as of lately. The group of cats had taken to hunting on Slateclan or whatever the called themselves land when the prey was scarce. Patches had always preached to her litter to never take more than they needed from the land, but the clan had noticed._

" _Your father will drive them from the camp." Patches muttered to her daughters, while her son glanced out the holly bush for a heartbeat. Jasper had always been a brave tom. Too brave for the six moon old toms own good. "Dad isn't doing so well! He's grappling with a large tom and it looks like he's losing!" Jasper gasped as he disappeared from the nursery. "I'll go help." Rumbling a loud roar sounded from outside the nursery, as Moss heard the solid smack of claws against bone. Stars help her father, Moss prayed, Nean sounded like he could use the help._

" _Jasper!" Moss yowled as her mother panicked. Her mother fled the nursery, fur bushed on end. The tiny tortoiseshell pressed against her sister, covering her eyes. Moth shivered against her for a heartbeat. A earth-shattering wail sounded in the air, rising and falling with her mother's normally soft tones._

" _Moss?" Moss raised her head, meeting her sisters one good eye. Moth placed her paw under her smaller sister's chin before sighing. "I'm going to make a break for it." Moss shook her head before pushing her sisters paw away. "I'll come get you when it's safe, okay?" Moth breathed as licked her sisters ear. "It may be the only way to save dad. If I make it the farm, Rocky and Susie will help us fight these cats off." It sounded like they were losing, the wails and clash of teeth and claws were almost fading._

" _I love you." Moss could only whimper as her tabby sister bunched up her hind legs before dashing out of the den. The remaining kit buried her face in her paws and flattened her ears as if to block out the sounds of the battle._

 _"Oceanstar, come quick! A kit is still alive." Moss heard a voice call above her as a pair of jaws grasped her scruff. Shock had set in the small dark body, and the green eyes had closed in exhaustion. A l yellow she-cat with bright amber eyes held Moss in her jaws very gently._

 _Panic flooded Moss's mind as she was drug from the den, and her eyes flashed open. Less than a dozen bodies littered the clearing and Moss heard a loud wailing sound. Was that her? "Stop your wailing! Your family brought this upon themselves." A tom called, his pecan brown fur torn and matted with blood. His yellow eyes were harsh and arrogant as he kicked a large faded calico body. The corpse's belly was still loose from Moss's birth._

 _A large light grey tabby tom with wavy darker stripes appeared from the shredded brambles that Nean had fashioned into a nest for Lacey and Hector. Moss's shocked eyes drifted to the small boned female with cream and white spots that laid a few feet away from their nest, and her dark brown mate's lips snarled in defiance._

 _"A kit?" The large tom repeated as he padded toward Moss. His eyes were the same soft green-blue as the sky in summer. "I found her hiding in a nest under the holly bush," The yellow cat replied around the bundle of fur. "She must have been either the cream cats or the calicos."_

 _The grey tom shook his head in disgust. "So much death, Sunpelt. At least this small life was saved." He turned to the half grown brown tom who prodded Patches pelt with distain. "Hawkpaw? Are you injured to bad to carry this kit home?" Hawkpaw gaped._

 _"You can't be serious! This kit is rouge born, and if she's anything like this one," Hawkpaw dug his white claws into the matted queens fur. "She will try to murder us in our sleep." Moss gasped. Was he the one who killed her family? Jasper lay cold and still next to their father, a small grey tabby bundle next to a larger muscular brown-black tabby._

 _Moss could barely hear what they were saying as she was passed to another she-cat's jaws, this one with black spotted pelt. All she could hear was the brown tom bragging to Oceanstar about his battle with Patches. A fragile boned she-cat with white paws padded from the direction of the road, her fur bloody._

 _"Hazelpaw?" Oceanstar asked the small tabby. She explained that a golden cat had tried to escape but had began to fight her, and had run into the path of an oncoming monster. Hazelpaw seemed so distraught as the blood was washed from her pelt. "I almost pushed her into the way of it."_

 _Moss let out a shriek. "Not Moth too!" She wailed before being shushed by Oceanstar. "This is the way of the warrior life." His eyes burned into hers._

Dovemoon shuddered as the medicine cat placed a broad paw on her belly with a flick of his long whiskers. "Well you shouldn't be expecting kits any time soon." Turniptoe confirmed to the matted haired grey she-cat. "You aren't pregnant."

It had been one moon since Hawkclaw had forced himself on her, and a moon and half since his mate had been announced to be expecting his kits. Dovemoon nearly cried in relief, her blue eyes miserable as Turniptoe cocked his head to the side.

"Is there something you need to tell me?" His voice soothed as lapped at the frightened she-cat's soft grey fur. Dovemoon shook her head, unseathing her claws into the soil.

"You'll just call me a liar like Oceanstar did!" Dovemoon snarled as she rose to her paws. The leader had chased her from his den when she had gone to him asking to punish his son for mating with her without her consent.

" _Hawkclaw would never do such a thing!" Oceanstar had snarled, his blue eyes blazing. Dovemooon took a step back, confusion lighting her gaze. "Why would I lie about it? Hawkclaw forced himself on me!" Oceanstar bristled his fur along his spine. His long-furred pelt spiked with anger. "Hawkclaw is a model warrior and more importantly a good tom with a loving mate and litter of kits on the way! Dovemoon, if I hear that you have been spreading these filthy lies about my son again I will have you punished myself!" Oceanstar had roared as Dovemoon turned tail and fled. Tears dampened her muzzle._

"It was Hawkclaw wasn't it?" Tuniptoe guessed, his ginger paws turned the soil in the medicine cat den. Dovemoon nodded, her fur bristling along her spine, the light grey fur speckled with darker flecks, a sooty streak up her muzzle and speckles across her cheeks and nose.

"Vixenpaw came in about three moons ago saying the same thing." Turniptoe turned away, his white fur flecked with herbs as he disappeared farther down into the tunnel. Dovemoon could just barely make out his white with orange patches pelt in the darkness before he returned.

In his jaws there was clamped around a flower with thistle like purple petals, a large leafy green bundle, small blue plump berries and leaves, and a white and purple flowers. He placed them at the she-cats paws with a flick of his tail.

"Pennyroyal, blue and black cohash, and parsley." He stated with a sigh, his yellow eyes worried. "Take that just in case. I'm certain that you aren't expecting, but it never harms it make sure." Turniptoe wrapped his tail around his paws.

Anger laced the toms face. "You happened to be luckier than her." His tone was filled with loss and bitterness as he turned away. "She actually needed it." Dovemoon nodded as she swallowed the herbs. So that was why Vixenpaw had been confined to the medicine cat den for a short while.

"How many times has he done this?" Dovemoon's stomach ached and her body spasmed as she downed the herbs. Bile coated the inside of her throat. Turniptoe glanced out into the camp through the entrance, his eyes narrowed at the nursery.

"Four, including you. Two with Vixenpaw and one with Hareleg when she was an apprentice with him." He ground his teeth before sighing. "I spoke to Oceanstar about it sortly after Hareleg but he refused to speak on the matter. He doesn't want to belive it."

"He will be judged by Starclan, Dovemoon. That's the only comfort I can give you." Turniptoe pressed his nose to her ear, his sweet scent of marigold and grass lacing into her nostrils. "I'm so sorry." He pressed his body to hers as he lapped at her head.

 _That's it? The ancestors will judge him is the best I can hope for? No punishment? This is a load of fox dung if I ever saw! Then Oceanstar expects us to swallow the crap like it doesn't even taste bad and then turns a blind eye to his son! Ancestors bugger the entire family into their graves, and curse them to to place of endless night! I say no more, I'm getting my revenge._

The peak had always been one of Dovemoon's favorite spots to go and think, her father had shown it to her when she had been an apprentice. It jutted far enough out that a few cats could rest comfortably on it with out fear of falling, and the wind didn't blow so harsh it might knock a cat off. The crag stuck out from one of the mountain trails that Slateclan used to hunt, and one could see almost to the Twolegplace. That was some two days walk from camp if a cat was fast, something Dovemoon wasn't.

Three days had pasted since her chat with Turniptoe, and Hawkclaw would leered at her when no cat was watching. His sisters on the other hand primped and preened, rarely helping but complaining. Hazelfur was gushing over which-ever tom had caught her fancy at the time while Mallowdapple slept and stuck closer to her sister's side than a burr.

Mallowdapple seemed more content at the moment complaining that she hadn't had kits with one of the senior warriors, whichever tom that was. Dovemoon had more important things on her mind. She could almost picture the tom that Mallowdapple had been trying to seduce for moon. What was his name again? Slickpelt or Slugstone or something along the lines of that?

Dovemoon shook her head as she padded along the trail. She glanced at the loose slate colored stones that tumbled down every so often, but stalked down the small worn path. Her sky blue eyes flicked down to the edge of the mountain, and for a split second she imagined tumbling a brown tom down it. Hawkclaw would surely perish then.

A slender tortoiseshell cat with patches of sunlit gold slashes, blazing ember swirls, smooth cream speckles, sat on Dovemoon's ledge muttering to herself. Flicking a ear, Dovemoon slunk closer as she strained to hear what this cat was saying. It sounded like some of Dovemoon's clanmates names, but she couldn't really tell.

A pebble shifted underneath Dovemoon's hindpaw and the tortoiseshell spun around wildly with a snarl. White claws slide out from the grey cat's paws as the tortoiseshell narrowed her eyes. The intruder twitched her tail at Dovemoon before sighing.

"Dovemoon?" Moss asked, before relaxing. "That's your name? Sorry, I can't remember all of your names." Dovemoon nodded. Moss turned her face back to the sunset, her tail lashing. "I'm just watching the sunset." Dovemoon padded next to Moss, her tail touching the taller cats tail gently. The sunset reflected the bright colors on Moss's pelt, and it reminded Dovemoon of what the elders called an eclipse, the perfect balance of light and dark. Beautiful and deadly.

"My name is Mossdusk." Moss finally spoke, her eyes flicking down the mountain. "I guess that Oceanstar doesn't announce prisoner's warrior names." Dovemoon shook her head, a sweet scent underlaided the disgustingness of the prisoner hole that stuck to Mossdusk's fur. "Here to kill yourself then?" Mossdusk said, her tone even as cool.

"W-Why would you say that?" Dovemoon stammered, fur bristling along her spine. Embassement sparked underneath her pelt, causing her fur to bush out. _Can she read my thoughts?_ Mossdusk turned toward Dovemoon with a smile, her eyes glowing with amusement. She kicked a pebble down the cliff, the clacking echoing in the grey cats ears.

"I may not be allowed to leave often, and can only hunt with an escort, but I have plenty time to watch the camp and I notice small things," Mossdusk stated, her green eyes narrowed, "You have been padding around camp like I killed your family." Dovemoon had been an escort for Mossdusk several times, and the outsider was a skilled hunter. She never really talked though, just staring at Dovemoon with eyes that glowed.

"It's not that is it?" Mossdusk moved closer to Dovemoon, pressing her shoulder comfortingly into the grey fur. Mossdusk's tone was soft, and warm, but not pressing. "It has something to do with your _problem._ You can tell me if you want," Mossdusk purred lightly, "Who am I going to tell?" Dovemoon let out a giggle at that. Shock turned Dovemoon's stomach a heartbeat later. Was it that obvius? Did others notice too?

"I don't know what your talking about!" Dovemoon snapped, pulling away from her. Mossdusk blinked, then smugly let out a soft purr. Her eyes were half lidded with amusement, and she wrapped her tail around Dovemoon's shoulders.

Mossdusk raised an eyebrow. "You don't, huh ?" The torieshell let out a chuckle. "I should know about your little _problem_ , considering I have it as well." Dovemoon blinked in shock. A blush spread underneath her pelt, making her grow warm and squirm. "It's not a problem you know? It's a natural thing, no matter what your stuck up clan says- especially that brute Hawkclaw." Mossdusk confirmed, green eyes scanning Dovemoon for a reaction.

The reason Hawkclaw did what he did, was to change Dovemoon. To punish her. Dovemoon liked she-cats, and it wasn't accepted freely in the clan. Hawkclaw had heard her confession to Turniptoe when she was an apprentice, and had begun harassing her in front of the clan. Mallowdrop and Hazelfur had made her life awful, teasing her and encouraging Hawkclaw as well. They made her an outcast in her clan. Most cats in the clan were accepting of Dovemoon, and the others didn't seem to care at all. It was comforting to know that Mossdusk, a prisoner, liked she-cats as well. Hazelfur and Mallowdrop made her feel like a freak, like no other cat like their own gender.

"I'm glad." Mossdusk purred, her tail flicking teasingly. "Because you're a cute little thing. Hawkclaw is just jealous, you're one of the only she-cats in the clan who isn't fawning over him and telling him how great he is." Dovemoon glanced down at her paws. The praise made her feel odd, warm inside she hadn't felt for moons. Why was Mossdusk calling her beautiful? She was boring grey, and she didn't really stand out in the clan. She kept to herself. "I respect that in a she-cat."

"I know what you want." Mossdusk cut to the chase. "I've seen it in your eyes, because I want the same thing against that cursed tom." The tortieshell rose to her paws, placing her face a whisker-length away from Dovemoon. Dovemoon felt dizzy staring into the endless green pools of Mossdusk's eyes. Her fur held a faint scent of dark cherry, and pine. "You want revenge." Dovemoon nodded without thinking.

Is that what she wanted? To see Hawkclaw dead? Dovemoon pictured the brown tom dead more often than not, it had become second nature. Inwardly if Dovemoon admitted it, she did want to see him gone. Not just him, his stupid sisters, his unborn kits, his fluff filled mate, his lying father. "They all deserve to die!" Dovemoon agreed. Confusion sparked underneath her belly, making her feel almost giddy.

"Mossdusk? Why do you hate them so much?" Mossdusk had just appeared one day, in the jaws of a patrol. Dovemoon had been a kit at the time, and the memory was foggy. It was tinged with white static at the edges, and all the grey cat could remember was Mossdusk huddling in the corner of the nursery. She had been shivering and whimpering.

Flames lite in the green pools, and fur bristled along Mossdusk's spine. A snarl formed on her jaws, showing white teeth as sharp as needles. "I want to take away their family," Mossdusk paused, her tail lashing, "Because they took away mine!" White claws dug into the stones. "What do you think of warriors that kill innocent kits and a nursing mother?"

Dovemoon shuddered. "I believe they should die." She concluded, pressing her nose into Mossdusk's pelt. Tension seeped out of the beautiful cat's muscles, and Dovemoon nuzzled her shoulder. "I believe that tom's who do things like that to cats who don't want it, deserve to be killed. Most rouges have enough honor to not do that. How many has he done it to?" Mossdusk murmured.

"Four."

"We have to kill him, to prevent this from happening to others. Do you agree? That this is for the best?"

Dovemoon nodded, and Mossdusk let out a purr that rumbled both of their bodies. Warmth seeped into Dovemoon's pelt. Mossdusk twined her tail with Dovemoon's, whispering if it was alright for her to do so-stammering in a way that Dovemoon found adorable.

"I promise that I will follow with whatever you have planned, Mossdusk."

"I promise, Dovemoon, that they will be punished. Listen to me and I can make is happen."

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Authors note- So this was an drabble that happened. It turned into two beautiful characters, both with scarred hearts, minds but long to love. Will they have their revenge? Do I write this to make gay people 'evil'? No, I wanted to write a couple that would love each other will all their hearts, and would work toward a common goal. They were going to be straight, then I realized that the characters I had fleshed out didn't seem to fit into the mold i had planned for them. I made them how I saw them. I want them to be happy. Sadly many people are discriminated against because of their sexuality. This was originally written for Pride Month. No Flames- Only love. 3


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two- Step One

In the mist, the pale grey she-cat's pelt seemed to disappear within the cool cloud. Forming droplets on her fur, they fell onto the ground silently. Like a black shadow a slender, tall, female followed the first cat a tail-length away, trailing after the smaller, stocky grey one silently.

A fluffy bush bobbed in the breeze, blueish black berries tantalizing swaying. Dovemoon stopped in front of the bush, before burying her muzzle into it. Her paws stumbled over a root and suddenly she had a face full of berries, and a twig in her ear. Mossdusk let an amused purr, tugging her out by her tail.

"I'm assuming that you got a good whiff of that, " Mossdusk chuckled, plucking the twig out of a flustered Dovemoon's ears, "If you being so close to the ground didn't help." Dovemoon let out a amused giggle, and patted a branch. Blue and purple bruise colored berries bobbed underneath the weight of her paw.

"This is the cohash. Gave me awful cramps." Dovemoon watched as Mossdusk intently stared at the berries, plucking a pawful up. Mossdusk nipped off a small twig along with the pawful that Dovemoon had scooped up. The grey fluffy she-cat flexed her claws, a berry teasingly on the tip of each claw. Mossdusk smiled around the slender branch, padding side by side with Dovemoon. Dovemoon's pelt brushed against Mossdusk's tortoiseshell fur, soft and long against rough and short.

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Mallowdrop hadn't questioned anything when she found the canary at the edge of her nest, eating it with vigor in front of Mossdusk. Mossdusk sat in front of the prisoner's den, her green eyes flicking over to the nursery. Dovemoon laid behind her, washing grit from behind the tortoiseshell's torn ear. Mossdusk had been forced to fight Vixenpaw and Weedpaw, who Mossdusk couldn't help but notice how the white and cream tabby tom stared at Vixenpaw like a mooning dove. Dovemoon had agreed when she returned with herbs to dress Mossdusk's scratches that the ginger apprentice deserved happiness after all of the horrible things that had happened to the young cat.

A shriek sounded from the nursery, and Turniptoe disappeared into the shadows of the den. Hawkclaw seemed uninterested as his mate kitted, preferring to chat with several other toms. He shot Dovemoon a leering glance, and Mossdusk pressed closer to her. White claws peeked out from her black paws, and she narrowed her emerald eyes and met his amber ones.

"Thanks for getting me herbs." Mossdusk sighed as she closed her eyes. Dovemoon's rythmitic lapping at her gritty fur was soothing and for a few heartbeats Mossdusk was transported back into her nest with Moth and Jasper. Dovemoon rumbled out a purr, "No problem. Turniptoe taught me enough to gather my own herbs when you get hurt." She sighed. "It would be more convenient if he would lend me his, but Oceanstar doesn't believe on wasting herbs on cats that aren't his kits."

Mossdusk gave a grunt as Dovemoon picked out deep shard of rock. "If we could have kits what would you name them?" Mossdusk replied as the sun was going down, orange dusk painting the camp in shades of peach, gold, and purple. Dovemoon seemed to glow in this light, Mossdusk realized as Dovemoon glanced at her. It painted her fur silver and lilac, and her blue eyes glowed.

"Mothkit after your sister." Dovemoon replied, her fluffy tail twining with Mossdusk's. Warmth flooded Mossdusk's heart. Moth would have loved to meet Dovemoon, they had similar shy and sweet demeanors. Her father and Patches might have been wary at first but opened up their home to the stocky grey cat. Jasper would have spent most of his time teasing Mossdusk and Dovemoon, she imagined. Mossdusk could almost picture her brother's beaming face, but it was fuzzy on the edges. Somedays she struggled to remember their faces, yet every night Mossdusk muttered the names of her revenge into the bare bracken she and now Dovemoon made their nest in.

"Patchkit and Bravekit in memory of your mother and father. It was hard to think of one for your brother, but I finally settled on Teasekit after Jasper." Dovemoon smiled widely, her sky-blue eyes fixated on the ground. Grey paws shuffled embarrassedly in the dust, and Mossdusk flicked her tail underneath Dovemoon's chin and tilted it up to meet her eyes.

"Those are lovely names." Mossdusk purred, "It's a shame we can't have any of our own." Dovemoon shrugged, lapping more roughly at the darker she-cats fur. Another shriek sounded from the nursery, and Dovemoon glanced over at the nursery. Hawkclaw was absent around the nursery, but Mallowdrop and Hazelfur sat cockily in front. Gossiping as usual.

"I'm expecting kits! I'll be moving in tonight." _You won't be expecting kits for long._ Mossdusk noticed how the grey and brown tabby had hardly put on any fat, so she wasn't to far along. Dovemoon tensed behind her, and Mossdusk let out a soothing mew. Grey fur immediately relaxed behind her.

"What would they look like?" Mossdusk knew it was good to keep her mate talking, even if they weren't seen as mates by most of the clan. Turniptoe supported them greatly, along with Vixenpaw who had grown attached to the prisoner who stepped in when Hawkclaw got to close to the apprentice. Mossdusk didn't mean to start a fight, but inwardly she was hoping for a chance and had taken it. She had lashed her claws across his jeering face, but at the cost of having food withheld for three days. Hawkclaw had taken the juicyiest fresh-kill and eaten it with gusto making sure she could. Honestly, the satisfaction of seeing the scar across his muzzle was more fulfilling than any prey could have been.

"Teasekit?" Dovemoon said between licks, "I always thought of a long furred grey tom or she-cat with cream patches, with delicate tabby stripes." Dovemoon seemed to ponder for a heartbeat, and Mossdusk didn't need to look back to know that if she did that the grey she-cat would be furrowing her brow with concentration. "He would have your pretty blue eyes." Mossdusk giggled, at her mates frustration. "Personally when I think of the name Bravekit, I think of a tom. Black with white paws,-" Dovemoon let out a sound that reminded Mossdusk of a kit who had finally realized how something made sense. "With cream markings underneath his eyes like yours! Bright green eyes." She rubbed her cheek against the darker cat.

"Mothkit would have amber eyes like Moth did. My sister would have made her be her little special kit, showing favoritism." Mossdusk purred, lapping at Dovemoon's fur. "Golden spotted she-cat with darker grey freckles on her cheeks and muzzle like yours, or white. I'm not picky." Dovemoon let out a giggle of amusement.

It was a shame that they couldn't have kits of their own, necause the grey she-cat would have made a fantastic mother Mossdusk realized. Dovemoon had mentioned that she never really wanted to ask a tom to sire a litter and would only truly want kits if Mossdusk would be their other parent, and Mossdusk wasn't keen on sharing. Mossdusk could understand the nervousness of Dovemoon around toms since Hawkclaw, and truth be told, she couldn't care less about kits as long as she had Dovemoon. Still it was a nice thought to entertain. If it were up to Mossdusk the only tom that she would allow near her precious Dovemoon was Turniptoe, and he was the only one they trusted to father a litter; but he was a medicine cat unfortunately. Maybe a rouge would abandon her kits and they could raise them. Mossdusk refused to resort to stealing or murdering another cat just to raise a litter. She knew how much that hurt, and refused to do it.

Cats parted away from the nursery as Oceanstar sat next to it as Turniptoe slipped out of the entrance, his head drooping. "Two of them were born dead." He glanced at Hawkclaw who had let out a snarl, ears flattened. Now he was paying attention to his mate and his litter. "The last one is weak, but she may live yet." Mossdusk's heart dropped. Hawkclaw turned away from the nursery, his tail bushing out in anger.

"It's a she-cat?" His voice was more angry than sad. No trace of sorrow. "What were the other two? Toms?" Turniptoe nodded, stepping to make room for him to enter even though the brown tom was turned away. "She might not live long, so you should welcome her while she's here. Humblefoot is asking about you." Hawkclaw was silent. "But you know that toms can't be with their mates during the kitting."

"Humblefoot is not my mate anymore! Not if she can't even keep my litter alive in her belly, and not to mention not even being able to carry my sons well enough for them to live!" He snarled, amber eyes sparking. Turniptoe met the angry tom's gaze impassively, and Oceanstar nodded in agreement with his son. "What about your daughter?" the medicine cat implored as a ragged she-cat appeared in the nursery entrance. Humblefoot's short fur was matted with sweat, tears welling on her muzzle.

"I don't have a daughter." Hawkclaw snapped, padding away with Oceanstar by his side. "Don't worry son," Oceanstar muttered as they passed Dovemoon and Mossdusk. Her ears strained to pick up the traces of their conversation. "You can get a new mate, one that will give you a strong litter of kits." Hawkclaw sniffed. "I know that, but I'm more frustrated that Humblefoot wasted my time." The brown tom's fur smoothed as they disappeared into the leader's den.

"Could such a hard birth for the leaders son's mate be an omen?" Mossdusk just now realized that Vixenpaw had padded over by the she-cats, her amber eyes wide at Hawkclaw's outburst. Dovemoon shrugged, and Mossdusk was grateful that the berry juice had washed off her paws without staining. "Could be, but it's a shame about the living kit."

Humblefoot yowled, tears dampening her muzzle. Cream, fawn, and sand colored fur was heaving with the effort as Humblefoot stood. "Hawkclaw! You know that I did everything I could! I haven't been with anyone else!" She fell to the ground sobbing, burying her face in her paws. Turniptoe whispered comforting words as the living kit mewled weakly from the nursery. Mossdusk could help feel pity for the tiny, weak she-cat and anger bubbled in her belly that Hawkclaw would abandon his daughter. He didn't seem to realize that kits were a gift. A gift that she and Dovemoon couldn't have.

Screeching woke Dovemoon from her slumber, only to see that Mossdusk was already awake. Emerald orbs glowed in the dark, and Dovemoon could only see her mate's outline in the shadows of her den. A paw gently pressed comfortingly to her shoulder, and her tail twined with hers. Dovemoon's mind drifted back to Mallowdrop's sneering at Humblefoot's weeping, and then the jibes about how the grieving queen couldn't keep her kits alive.

"Go back to sleep, Dovie. It's just the berries kicking in with her." Mossdusk's mew was sleepy, and hardly more than a whisper. Worry swirled in the grey she-cats mind, but the comforting scent of Mossdusk's fur gently whirled her back to slumber, along with the pattering of tiny paws and the rumble of her mates purrs.

Mossdusk wasn't surprised, but happiness fizzled in her paws when Oceanstar announced that Mallowdrop had kitted in the night. None of her kits survived, if you would consider what was born was 'kits'. On the bright side, Humblefoot's kit had lived, and had been named Fallowkit. Dovemoon had been delivering prey to Humblefoot since the kitting, and it had cheered the weak queen's spirits. Fallowkit was a charmer, not unlike her father; but her charms were kindness and being a helpful paw to Turniptoe. Hawkclaw never even looked at the fawn colored kit, with her beautiful tabby stripes and spots. He even went so far to chase her off when she got near him. She didn't even know that the tom was her father. Other toms had stepped up in the clan, being a father figure to the sweet-hearted kit.

Dovemoon and Mossdusk had treated the tiny Fallowkit as if she was their own, playing with her and bringing her gifts of feathers and shiny pebbles. Mallowdrop had been pacing in camp with hollow eyes, and it seemed as if she was lost in a fog. She stared when a cat talked to her, blinking slowly when spoken to as if it took her longer to process what they had to say. If she wasn't crying in her nest, Mallowdrop was staring at the river at the edge of the gourge. She didn't hunt, or wash her pelt only sleeping. Every spare moment she followed her mate, Slickstone, around camp begging for a chance to carry another litter.

Cats had begun to become frustrated with Oceanstar's kits behavior. Murmers had begun about Hawkclaw's angry behavior, Hazelfur's laziness, Mallowdrop's erratic behavior, and Oceanstar's blind eyes to all of this. In fact, he still praised their hard-working behavior, even though it didn't exist. The most Mallowdrop had done in the past moon was bring back a skinny shrew that she had found while looking for fertility herbs. Whispers were that she was barren now. Oceanstar punished anyone who was caught spreading these 'lies' about his kits.

Dovemoon had been happier than Mossdusk had ever seen her. Giddiness was evident in her voice, and she could now make eye contact with cats. Kindness still leaked from her skin, and Mossdusk couldn't help but let out a loud purr each time she saw Dovemoon playing with Fallowkit. Hawkclaw's drifting gaze still swept over the grey furred she-cat every now and again, but Mossdusk wasn't very far behind her, always watching.

A/n If Turniptoe had sired a litter with Dovemoon they would have had a litter of three kits, and been a fantastic father. A real smother-mother type dad. Mossdusk would have been a firm but loving mom taking no crap from them, and Dovemoon would be the one in the middle, balancing out both personalities. Teasekit would have been a grey she-kit with pale tabby cream patches on her face, and stripes on her tail with amber eyes, she would have a cream toes on her front paws and one cream sock on her back paw, she would be a quiet and soft demonor. Patchkit would be a black tom with orange splotches, one white paw and flash on his chest with bright blue eyes with an awful crush on Fallowkit. Mothkit would be a small, frail, but feisty with long fur that would be ginger with a few white patches on her belly and front legs, she would have a white patch over one eye, and tip of her tail, bright almond green eyes like Mossdusk.

Fallowkit is a character from my other story- Echos of the Past : Clans in Ruin. Give them a read, because all of my stories link together in some way except for the ones about the tribes.


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